Cam operated program mechanism with mechanical vibratory actuating means

ABSTRACT

A tripping mechanism for a power unit for the drive of timerelated rotating contactors requiring a powerful torque for their drive. A drive motor is triggered periodically, thus driving the contactor.

United States Patent I Graf [451 July 18, 1972 [54] CAM OPERATED PROGRAM MECHANISM WITH MECHANICAL VIBRATORY ACTUATING MEANS [7 2] inventor: Eclthart Grai, Oberbaldingen, Germany [73] Assignee: Firnu Fried. Ernst Benzing, Schwenningen/N. Karlstn, Kontrolluhrenfabrik, Germany [22] Filed: July 8, 1971- [21] Appl. No.: 160,709

' [30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 22, I970 Switzerland .L ..1 1098/70 52 05.11.; 5| lnt.Cl

[58] Field of Search ..200/38, 33 R, 35 R; 335/90, 335/193, 76, 77, 78

..200/38 R, 200/35 R ..H01h 7/08, HOlh 43/10 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1956 Judson et al .L ..200/38 B X 7/1963 Brock et ai... ..200/38 B 1/1969 Wiser...., ...200/38 B 2/1959 Hobbs ..335/77 X Primary Examiner-J R. Scott AtlorneyWilliam D. Hall et a].

ABSTRACT A tripping mechanism for a power unit for the drive of time related rotating contactors requiring a powerful torque for their drive. A drive motor is triggered periodically, thus driving the contactor.

l0 Chins, 8 lh-awirrg Figures PATENTEU JUL! 81972 SHEET 2 BF 3 CAM OPERATED PROGRAM MECHANISM WITH MECHANICAL VIBRATORY ACI'UATING MFANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION pendent or a master timer.

Also known is an independent timer whereby the shaft of a power unit is engaged continuously with the works of a timer. As the motor operates, it concurrently tightens a drive spring which serves as the drive for a mechanical vibrating system. The motor is turned on and off by a cam plate which rotates in functional relation to the mechanical vibrating system. How ever, this arrangement cannot be used as an auxiliary timer due to the specific control of the power unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the purpose of the invention to overcome these disadvantages, and specifically to solve the problem of how to operate a unit by internal as well as external control. This problem is solved by the invention in case of a tripping mechanism of the type described above in such manner that the motor tightens a drive spring, one end of which is supported by a part that is connected to the motor shaft, with the other end being supported by a clutch plate, and where a contact, activating the motor, is closed in functional relation to the position of the clutch plate, and a contact is opened in functional relation to the part connected to the motor shaft and thus cutting off the motor, and whereby in the case of an independent operation the clutch platerotates in accordance with a time-keeping vibrating system that is put in motion by a drive spring, and whereby in the case of a dependent operation the clutch plate is released and locked periodically by impulses from a master timer. Therefore, ac-

cording to the invention, the motor is turned on in functional connection with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a profile of the tripping mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the entire mechanism;

FIG 3 is a front view, and partially a sectional view, to demonstrate the dependent operation;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are plan views of the control and cam disc to demonstrate the turning on and turning off the motor;

FIG. 6 is a partial view of another species for the turning on and turning ofi arrangement for the motor;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the above arrangement, and

FIG. 8 is a signal disc which is connected with a clutch plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The shaft 18 of the'electromotor 2 is connected to the drive shaft 1 through the gear wheels 3 and 4. The drive shaft 1 continuously engages a contactor (not shown) which requires a powerful torque for its drive. The drive shaft 1 is rigidly connected with a control disc 6 which is provided with a pin 19. One end of a drive spring 7'is hooked at this pin 19, and the other end of said spring is connected to clutch plate 8 by way of .pin20. To one side of the control disc 6 there is placed a cam disc 12 which is capable of being turned relative to the control disc 6. The cam disc 12 carries a tappet 21.

The control disc 6 is provided with at least one recess 22 (FIGS. 4 and 5) and the cam disc 12 with at least one cam 23. In the specific embodiment illustrated, there are two recesses 22, 22' and two cams 23, 23', the respective recesses and also the respective cams.

FIG. 4 depicts the relative positions of the control disc 6 and the cam disc 12 upon completion of a winding operation. In this position, trigger peak 24 has engaged the recess 22 of the control disc 6 and cam 23 0f cam disc 12 has just left the recess 22. Now, if the clutch plate 8 is turned by the wound spring 7, either slowly in phase with the oscillations of a vibrating system 1 1, or suddenly through the release by the impulses of a master timer, then pin 20 of the clutch plate 8 will move so as to abut pin 21 of the cam disc 12. In response to the continuing rotation of the clutch plate 8, cam disc 12 will be carried along in the direction of the arrow by the pins 20 and 21. This will continue until cam 23 reaches the area of recess 22, as shown by FIG. 5. At such time, trigger peak 24 of switch 5 will be raised and switch 5 (FIG. 2) will be closed.

FIG. 5 depicts the position just before the closing of switch 5. As soon as switch 5 closes due to the raising of trigger peak 24, current fiows through the motor 2, causing the drive shaft 1 to turn. Control disc 6 and pin 19 will then turn together with the drive shaft 1. As a result, control disc 6 and pin 19 will rotate by 180, thus again tightening the spring 7.

Just prior to completion of the 180 turn, pin 19 reaches the wall 25 of the notch 26 of cam disc 12 and carries disc 12 along until cam 23 has left the reach of trigger peak 24. At the end of the winding cycle, pin 19 will be located opposite to the position shown by FIG. 5, that is, turned by 180. The

recess 22' is now at the left side, in other words it is engaged by the trigger peak 24. The cam 23' is located beyond said recess 22' so that it is now in the same position as cam 23 in FIG. 4.

In the subsequent interval, pin 20 will reach and fit snugly to pin 21 due to the rotation of the clutch plate 8, either in functional relation to the cycle of the time-keeping vibrating system or the control by the master timer impulses, thus causing the cam disc 12 to turn. Cam 23 reaches the area of recess 22 now located at the left side thus causing the closing of contact 5. The control disc 6 will again turn by I80", and at the end of this turn, the pin 19 will again carry the cam 23 from the area of the recess 22, now located at the left side. The position reached at the end of this winding movement is I depicted by FIG. 4. Thus, the activation of switch 5, supplying current to the motor, is accomplished in functional relation to the position of the cam disc 12 which is being moved by the clutch plate 8. The switch 5 is cut ofi' in functional relation to the position of the control disc 6, dependent on the rotation of the motor 2.

In order to keep the relative positions of cam disc 12 and clutch plate 8 under control, a spring 27 is placed between pins 20 and 21, and this spring is tightened at the end of the winding movement when the cam disc 12 is carried along by the pin 19, with pin 21 moving away from pin 20.

FIGS. 6 and -7 show a modification of the control of switch I 5. In this case a control disc 6 is employed which is not rigidly connected to the motor shaft 1. The connection between this control disc 6 and the motor shaft 1 is accomplished by means of a coupling part 27 which interacts with a pin 28 of the control disc 6. The drive shaft 1 is also provided with a coupling part 29, at which is fastened one end of the drive spring 7, its other end being connected to pin 20 of the clutch plate 8. In addition thereto, the control disc 6' is provided with a tappet 30. FIG. 7 depicts a position where the trigger peak 24 of the switch 5 has engaged the recess 22 of the control disc 6. Thus, the motor 2 is without current. When the clutch plate 8 turns, either in phase with the oscillations of the vibrating system or by way of external control by a master timer, pin 20 of the clutch plate 8 will join pin 30 of the control disc 6'. The control disc 6 will now turn in direction of the arrow and the trigger peak 24 is raised. The contacts of switch 5 are thus closed, supplying the motor with current, causing the drive shaft 1 to turn and to carry along the control disc 6' through the coupling part 27 and the pin 28. The control disc 6' performs a 180 turn until the trigger peak 24 again engages the recess 22, thus cutting off the motor circuit.

At the end of this winding movement, the pin 30 is in the position as shown by FIG. 7, and the pin 20, which did not perform this movement, is in position 20. The clutch plate 80 with pin 20 now turns again, in clockwise direction, until pin 20 again joins pin 30, and the contact 5 is closed again because the control disc 6' is being carried along. The drive spring 7 is tightened at each turn of the drive shaft 1.

As already mentioned, the turning of the clutch plate 8 takes place either slowly in phase with the oscillations of a mechanical vibrating system 11 or periodically through release of a master timer impulse.

In case of an independent operation, the clutch plate 8 is connected through the intermediate gear wheels 9 and 10 with a retard of a vibrating system 1 1. Thus, the vibrating system 11 is driven by the spring 7. The vibration rate and the gear ratio are selected in such manner that the clutch plate 8 will perform half a revolution per minute. This means, in case of the control system shown by FIGS. 4 and 5, that the motor 2 is supplied with current every minute and will rotate until the drive shaft 1 has completed a 180 turn. Therefore, the winding interval amounts to one minute, and each minute the drive shaft 1 will perfonn a transitory turn by I80.

In case of control by means of master timer impulses, the intermediate gear wheel 9 is moved to the right by way of the control lever 17 until pin 31 reaches the area of the locking fork 14 (see FIG. 3). This locking fork 14 is connected to the armature 32 of a relay 13 which is energized by polarized master timer impulses. In the position illustrated, the arm 33 is located within the area of pin 31 of the intermediate gear wheel 9. When an impulse reaches the relay, the armature 32 with the locking fork 14 will swivel upward and the arm 33 will thus release the pin 31. Since the force of the drive spring 7 acts upon the clutch plate 8, the pin 31 will turn in direction of the arrow until it hits the arm34 of the locking fork 14, the arm 34 now being within range of pin 31. The clutch plate has now carried out half a turn, and this turn by 180 causes motor 2 to be turned on until the drive shaft has carried out a 180 turn. Therefore, the control is identical with the control as described on the basis of FIGS. 4 and 5. One minute later, the relay 13 receives another master timer impulse, again causing the clutch plate to turn by 180.

ln case of an independent operation, the contactor itself can serve as master timer and furnish periodically impulses of a specific duration. For this purpose, the clutch plate 8 is pro vided with two recesses (see FIG. 8) to be engaged by the trigger peak 35 of a switch 16. The switch 16 is closed until the trigger peak 35 enters either one of the recesses 15. In this manner, an impulse of a specific duration is delivered every minute.

What I claim is:

l. A tripping mechanism for a power unit to drive time-related, rotating contactors which require a powerful torque for their drive comprising in combination,

a motor having a shaft,

a drive spring,

a clutch plate,

a control disc rotatable with said shaft,

one end of said drive spring being supported by an element which is operatively connected to said shaft and the other end of said drive spring being connected to said clutch plate,

switch means responsive to the movement of said clutch plate to a predetermined position by said drive spring for energizing said motor,

said control disc being effective in response to rotation by said motor shaft to control said switch means to de-energize said motor, i

and means for releasing said clutch plate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said control disc is provided with at least one recess,

said one end of said drive spring being supported by said control disc, said apparatus further including a cam disc having at least one cam surface and being mounted for rotation coaxially with said control disc, I

means for rotating said cam disc in response to rotation of said clutch plate,

means responsive to coincidence of said cam surface with said recess to close said switch means,

and means responsive to the rotation of said control disc by said motor shaft to rotate said cam disc to thereby move said cam surface out of coincidence with said recess to open said switch means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which a first pin on said clutch plate engages with a second pin on said cam disc to thereby rotate said cam disc with said clutch plate, and a third pin on said control disc moves in an arcurate slot in said cam disc, rotation of said control disc beyond a predetermined position effecting rotation of said cam disc as said third pin abuts the end wall of said slot.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 which further includes a spring effective at times to urge the end wall of said slot against said third pin.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said control disc is provided with two diarnmetrically opposed recesses and said cam disc has two diametrically opposed cam surfaces, said arcurate slot extending over an angle not exceeding 6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said control is rotated by said clutch plate to an extent to move said recess past said responsive means.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said clutch plate engages a force-balancing retarding means.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said clutch plate engages a locking fork,

said apparatus further including a relay for engaging said locking fork,

said relay being responsive to periodic electrical impulses.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes contact means and means for periodically actuating said contact means, and means responsive to said contact means for actuating said clutch plate.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 which includes an axially movable clutch wheel, a vibratory means, and a locking fork, said clutch wheel in one axial position engaging said vibratory system and in its other axial position engaging said locking fork. 

1. A tripping mechanism for a power unit to drive time-related, rotating contactors which require a powerful torque for their drive comprising in combination, a motor having a shaft, a drive spring, a clutch plate, a control disc rotatable with said shaft, one end of said drive spring being supported by an element which is operatively connected to said shaft and the other end of said drive spring being connected to said clutch plate, switch means responsive to the movement of said clutch plate to a predetermined position by said drive spring for energizing said motor, said control disc being effective in response to rotation by said motor shaft to control said switch means to de-energize said motor, and means for releasing said clutch plate.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said control disc is provided with at least one recess, said one end of said drive spring being supported by said control disc, said apparatus further including a cam disc having at least one cam surface and being mounted for rotation coaxially with said control disc, means for rotating said cam disc in response to rotation of said clutch plate, means responsive to coincidence of said cam surface with said recess to close said switch means, and means responsive to the rotation of said control disc by said motor shaft to rotate said cam disc to thereby move said cam surface out of coincidence with said recess to open said switch means.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which a first pin on said clutch plate engages with a second pin on said cam disc to thereby rotate said cam disc with said clutch plate, and a third pin on said control disc moves in an arcurate slot in said cam disc, rotation of said control disc beyond a predetermined position effecting rotation of said cam disc as said third pin abuts the end wall of said slot.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 which further includes a spring effective at times to urge the end wall of said slot against said third pin.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said control disc is provided with two diammetrically opposed recesses and said cam disc has two diammetrically opposed cam surfaces, said arcurate slot extending over an angle not exceeding 180*.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said control is rotated by said clutch plate to an extent to move said recess past said responsive means.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said clutch plate engages a force-balancing retarding means.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said clutch plate engages a locking fork, said apparatus further including a relay for engaging said locking fork, said relay being responsive to periodic electrical impulses.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes contact means and means for periodically actuating said contact means, and means responsive to said contact means for actuating said clutch plate.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1 which includes an axially movable clutch wheel, a vibratory means, and a locking fork, said clutch wheel in one axial position engaging said vibratory system and in its other axial position engaging said locking fork. 